For anyone mechanically inclined

[cglester]

I know this site is ATVriders, but I have a problem with my wifes car that I cant figure out. It is a 2001 2.4L 4 cylinder Pontiac Grand AM. All of a sudden one day it just wont start. I replaced the fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel regulator, and crankshaft sensor. I checked the pressure in the fuel rail and it is right on with what GM calls for, so the pump is working correctly. It will try and run with a small squirt of ether in the air cleaner, and all plugs are firing. If it matters it is a 2001 model, with about 55,000 miles on it. I am about to attach some primers and blasting caps to this bit#$ if I dont figure something out soon. Thanks for any help!

[cmanningjr]

Jumped time??

[cglester]

dont know, not sure how to check? Gotta go tobed, if i am late tommorrow, i might just get fired haha. I will check back tomorrow, any other guess out there? I will find out about jumping time though.

[hardkoratvmxr]

got spark? good enough spark if you have it? to much resistence in your plug wires?

[Lowcountrydave]

Possible restriction in the exhaust. Converter clogged or internals broken up resticting exhaust flow. Car would start but not continue to run on its own.

Distributor wire come off?

Even something as simple as a loose battery terminal could cause your car to cut off due to a bad connnection.


Fuel pump not continuing to run. Might show good pressure at first.



Dave

[cmanningjr]

Coil Pack?

[JForestZ34]

If it was running fine last night and you went out this morning to start but it won't fire, it didn't jump timing.. It's not that easy to jump timing.. Did the car throw any engine codes.. could be a mass air flow sensor also.. Or IAC could be bad...


James

[nickm328]

My girlfriend's honda did the same thing ended up being a clogged converter. Take out the o2 sensor and see if it will start.

[powermadd400ex]

alternator?

[Honda#4]

The 4 cyl have been know to jump time, but it could be the converter.

[Premis]

I hate to say it, but you couldn't had a dealer fix it for less than you have probably spent on fuel pumps/filters/etc..

Try to get it to Auto Zone if possible, they can check the computer for diagnostic codes. Then google the code.

[jcs003]

i bet it is the crank position sensor. GM's are famous for the sensors going bad. the sensor has a magnetic part on the face of it and if it has metal particles on it it can cause issues.

[cglester]

jcs003- I was gonna try the crank sensor next. Had a friend tell me the same thing. Do you know where the crank sensor is?


Premis- I know, I have a ton of dough in this repair, and I havent even found the problem yet. I have one of those boxes that you plug into the fuse box, and nothing showed up.


nickm328- I will be sure to try that with the oxygen sensor

JForestZ34-IAC? Not sure what that is.


cmanningjr-if a coil pack was bad, it wouldnt fire at all, would it?

Lowcountrydave-Converter maybe clogged, not sure. Car will not start at all unless it gets a squirt of ether in the breather


hardkoratvmxr-All plugs are firing, not sure how to check for enough spark, and not sure about the resistance in the plug wires. It ran fine one day but not the next, with the same wires, then you would think the wires would be good, right?:ermm:

[03pete]

My Son's car went out yesterday, turns over but wont start. Took it in to the shop and they said its a "distributor" problem. They wanted to charge over $1000 to fix it. Does this sound right?

Sorry, i dont mean to hi-jack but I dont want to start a whole thread.

[250r rider 88]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

distributors cost below $200 most of the time and labor to change one takes maybe an hour or less so unless they are charging 800 an hour you are getting ripped off, unless there is more there that they arent telling you, someone with decent mechanical knowledge should be able to change a distributer

i would get a detailed quote on what is to be done before hand, otherwise i smell a rip off